Lightweight PVDF Nanocomposites for EMI Shielding Applications Using Copper Sulphide ‘Flowers’ on ‘In Situ’ Reduced Graphene Oxide Template

With the increasing usage of electronic gadgets in various fields, the problem of electromagnetic interference (EMI) has become eminent. To suppress this interference, lightweight materials, that are easy to fabricate, design, integrate and process are in great demand. Metals were the predominant choices earlier; however, they are being replaced by polymer nanocomposites due to their non-corrosive nature. Moreover, the properties of polymers can be tuned easily to achieve desired properties. In the present study, we have grown copper sulphide ‘flowers’ on graphene oxide by a facile one-pot hydrothermal technique, during the process GO sheets are partly reduced to yield rGO-CuS hybrid. The growth time of the “flower-like” structure was optimised based on structural (XRD) and morphological analysis (SEM). Then, as-prepared particles were dispersed in PVDF using melt blending. The bulk AC electrical conductivity and EMI shielding ability of the prepared composite was assessed, and it was found that the nanocomposites exhibited an EMI shielding effectiveness up to -25 dB manifesting in 86 % absorption of EM waves at a thickness of only 1 mm. Moreover, it was also observed that the addition of hybrid nanoparticles has a better effect on EM shielding performance compared to when the nanoparticles are added separately in terms of both total shielding effectiveness as well as absorption performance.